Explanation of Ibn Malik’s (may Allah have mercy on him) statement: *Kana* and its sisters.
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The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Ibn Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “*Kana* and its sisters”: Since he spoke about the subject, and we mentioned that the chapter on the beginning is the first chapter in which phrases are discussed, everything that preceded it deals with single words.
Therefore, the first study of phrases is the chapter on the beginning, where the subject and the predicate are both in the nominative case. Three types of grammatical factors affect them: some change the predicate without changing the subject, some change the subject without changing the predicate, and some change both. This change is called *naskh* (cancellation), which is a fitting term because *naskh* means removing something. For example, *Kana* and its sisters: when they enter the subject and predicate, they cancel the nominative case of the predicate and change it to the accusative. So instead of saying “Zayd is standing” (with both in the nominative), you say “*Kana* Zayd standing” (with the predicate in the accusative).
*Inna* and its sisters do the opposite; they cancel the form of the subject without changing the predicate. If you say “Zayd is standing,” and then you introduce *Inna* into this phrase, you say “*Inna* Zayd is standing,” and you will find that Zayd has changed from the nominative to the accusative case.
*Zanna* and its sisters cancel both parts. If you say “Zayd is standing,” and then you say “I thought Zayd was standing,” you will find that they have cancelled both parts, and both parts are now in the accusative case after having been in the nominative. The author began with *Kana* and its sisters because they do not cancel both parts, and he placed them before *Inna* and its sisters because *Inna* and its sisters are particles, while *Kana* and its sisters are verbs, and verbs are more noble than particles because they indicate meaning in themselves, whereas particles indicate meaning in other things. Also, *Kana* and its sisters do not change the first part of the subject and predicate, unlike *Inna* and its sisters. It is known that what preserves the first part, which is adjacent to it, is more deserving of precedence than what preserves the second part without the first. He postponed *Zanna* and its sisters because they do not preserve both parts.
As for the grammatical function of *Kana* and its sisters, it is to put the subject in the nominative case and the predicate in the accusative case. The author’s statement: “*Kana* and its sisters”: The term “sisters” here means counterparts, meaning those that resemble it in its grammatical function.
Therefore, the first study of phrases is the chapter on the beginning, where the subject and the predicate are both in the nominative case. Three types of grammatical factors affect them: some change the predicate without changing the subject, some change the subject without changing the predicate, and some change both. This change is called *naskh* (cancellation), which is a fitting term because *naskh* means removing something. For example, *Kana* and its sisters: when they enter the subject and predicate, they cancel the nominative case of the predicate and change it to the accusative. So instead of saying “Zayd is standing” (with both in the nominative), you say “*Kana* Zayd standing” (with the predicate in the accusative).
*Inna* and its sisters do the opposite; they cancel the form of the subject without changing the predicate. If you say “Zayd is standing,” and then you introduce *Inna* into this phrase, you say “*Inna* Zayd is standing,” and you will find that Zayd has changed from the nominative to the accusative case.
*Zanna* and its sisters cancel both parts. If you say “Zayd is standing,” and then you say “I thought Zayd was standing,” you will find that they have cancelled both parts, and both parts are now in the accusative case after having been in the nominative. The author began with *Kana* and its sisters because they do not cancel both parts, and he placed them before *Inna* and its sisters because *Inna* and its sisters are particles, while *Kana* and its sisters are verbs, and verbs are more noble than particles because they indicate meaning in themselves, whereas particles indicate meaning in other things. Also, *Kana* and its sisters do not change the first part of the subject and predicate, unlike *Inna* and its sisters. It is known that what preserves the first part, which is adjacent to it, is more deserving of precedence than what preserves the second part without the first. He postponed *Zanna* and its sisters because they do not preserve both parts.
As for the grammatical function of *Kana* and its sisters, it is to put the subject in the nominative case and the predicate in the accusative case. The author’s statement: “*Kana* and its sisters”: The term “sisters” here means counterparts, meaning those that resemble it in its grammatical function.